UT institutions earn top 5 spot in the world for U.S. patents granted

Researchers and inventors at University of Texas institutions are once again among the world’s most innovative, based on the number of patents granted in 2018.

Last year, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued 187 patents to researchers from UT’s eight academic and six health institutions, earning the UT System the No. 5 spot in the Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents for 2018. The list was released today by the National Academy of Inventors and Intellectual Property Owners Association, two organizations dedicated to recognizing academic technology and innovation.

This ranking comes on the heels of the UT System earning the No. 6 spot in Reuters’ annual 100 “World’s Most Innovative Universities” ranking last fall.

In the patent ranking released today, the UT System was the highest-ranked Texas university or university system.  (Only two other Texas institutions were listed in the rankings report, tying at No. 88 with 28 patents each.)  Rounding out the top five rankings were the University of California System, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.

The rankings are based on data obtained from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The report has been published annually since 2013 to highlight the vital role patents play in university research and innovation and lists public and private research universities as well as university systems.

UT institutions and the UT System Board of Regents have long demonstrated a commitment to supporting research that can lead to life-changing discoveries. In 2018, UT institutions spent $2.9 billion on research—second only to the University of California System nationally. UT institutions account for almost 70% of all research funds awarded to public institutions in Texas.

“University of Texas institutions are home to extraordinary scientists and inventors who work every day to develop new technologies, devices, processes and innovations that enhance the health, security, and economic well-being of us all,” said UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken. “This recognition demonstrates Texas’ impact on a global scale.”

"The patents our universities produce represent important processes and collaborations which have the potential to make a significant impact on society on a local, regional, national and global scale," said Paul R. Sanberg, president of the National Academy of Inventors.

"Patenting an invention is the first step towards making a lasting impact on the innovation ecosystem," added Jessica Landacre, deputy executive director of the Intellectual Property Owners Association. "The Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents demonstrates which institutions are at the forefront of this change, and highlights the important role innovation plays in local, regional and global economies."

About The University of Texas System
For more than 130 years, The University of Texas System has been committed to improving the lives of Texans and people all over the world through education, research and health care. With 14 institutions, an enrollment of nearly 240,000 students and an operating budget of $19.5 billion (FY 2019), the UT System is one of the largest public university systems in the United States. UT institutions produce more than 60,000 graduates annually and award more than one-third of the state’s undergraduate degrees and almost two-thirds of its health professional degrees. Collectively, UT-owned and affiliated hospitals and clinics accounted for more than 8.2 million outpatient visits and 1.6 million hospital days last year. Across UT institutions, research and development expenditures total $2.9 billion – the second highest among U.S. public higher education systems – and the UT System is regularly ranked among the top 10 most innovative universities in the world. The UT System also is one of the largest employers in Texas, with more than 21,000 faculty – including Nobel laureates and members of the National Academies – and more than 83,000 health care professionals, researchers and support staff.